Man takes plea deals in Boulder County cases
34-year-old set for sentencing hearing in May; 3 others arrested
A third co-defendant accused of being involved in a 2022 drug smuggling operation in the Boulder County Jail has taken a plea deal.
Keith Beyer, 34, pleaded guilty on Feb. 7 to introduction of contraband and possession of a controlled substance — conspiracy.
On the same day, Beyer took a plea deal in another ongoing case in which he was accused of driving a stolen SUV toward an officer before fleeing police. He pleaded guilty in that case to possession of a controlled substance and vehicular eluding.
Beyer had been scheduled for trial this week, but that was cancelled due to the plea deal.
Beyer is set for a sentencing hearing in both cases on May 24. He is currently in custody on $20,000 and $10,000 bonds.
Along with Beyer, three other people were arrested on suspicion of their involvement in the jail scheme; Brett Imhof, Kelley Larkin and Kelli Lynch. A release also listed a fifth individual who was 36 at the time of the co-defendants’ arrests. Imhof, 26, took a plea deal on April 21 and pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance — conspiracy. On the same day, he was sentenced to one year in prison with 204 days of credit for time served.
Larkin, 51, took a plea deal on Oct. 13 and pleaded guilty to introduction of contraband. On Feb. 9, she was sentenced to three years of probation and 50 hours of community service.
Lynch was issued a warrant on July 8, 2022, for failing to appear. She was charged with a class 3 drug felony count of distribution and first-degree introduction of contraband.
According to a release, jail staff received an anonymous tip that methamphetamine was being introduced into the jail by mail, with paper saturated in liquid meth being sent to specific inmates.
After the associated inmates were identified, several letters sent to those suspects tested positive for meth.
The Boulder County Drug Task Force, jail deputies, and a sheriff’s office K-9 team began working to identify and intercept any paper saturated in illegal narcotics. As a result of the six-month investigation, a total of 109.82 grams of paper saturated with methamphetamine and 137.41 grams of photos saturated with ketamine were seized
either coming into the jail or found already in the jail.
In the 2020 case, Beyer is accused of driving a stolen vehicle at police.
A release stated that police were looking for a man suspected of attempting to steal three vehicles in Longmont. A local resident reported to police that Beyer entered her garage where he got into a black Chevrolet Suburban.
As officers approached, Beyer reportedly put the stolen SUV in reverse and backed down the driveway, according to the release. An officer fired one round at the SUV during the altercation.